He is a trumpeter, flugelhorn player and composer, born in England, who started to play the trumpet at eight years old and reaching Grade 8 by the time he was eleven. Every week he had lessons at the Royal Academy of Music and from 1978 studied there full time. He left the RAM in 1982 and immediately started to perform as a session musician and in West End shows.
He became a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble in 1984, joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 1988 and performed with the Michael Nyman Band in 1996, 1998 and 2002. He also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra and was the Principal Trumpet with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.
He has appeared on many recordings of classical works and theatre and movie scores and these include Christmas Album by Roberto Alagna , Danza de Los Corceles by Luis Cobos, I’m the Greatest Star with the National Symphony Orchestra, Greatest Hits and the 20th Century Album with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and Symphony No. 1 (Lord of the Rings) – De Meij and Bach to Brubeck with the London Symphony Orchestra and the soundtracks of The Messenger and Sky Captain & World of Tomorrow. In 2002 he collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra Early Years Animateur, Vanessa King, on writing an album that would appeal to adults and children alike. The result was Jemma’s Journey and Abi’s Journey, which was subsequently released on CD and is now used by the London Symphony Orchestra in their education department.
In the world of television he appeared as a trumpeter in Parts 2 and 3 of the series Henry VI and also in the programme The Tragedy of Richard the Third.
His other compositions include a fanfare that would start a recital that was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican in 2006.
In 2008 he opened up his successful recording studio The Outback which released the music-minus-one recordings which accompany teaching books. He also released the children’s album Jemma’s Journey and Abi’s Adventure.
After a short illness he passed away in October 2011 when he was 52 years old, leaving his two children and his widow, Belinda McFarlane, who is a violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra.
He performs trumpet here with the LSO Brass Ensemble in a performance of “Fanfare”…
Sources:
- http://lso.co.uk/more/news/116-nigel-gomm.html
- http://cdbaby.com/cd/vkng
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0327133/
- http://www6.airnet.ne.jp/suminoue/ongakukan/PhilipJonesBrassEnsemble.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Nyman_Band
- http://hotbrass.blogspot.com/2006/11/lso-brass-feature-james-maynard-suite.html
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/903371-Nigel-Gomm